


dance into my arms

by snowyxiu



Series: in a room full of art, you're the greatest masterpiece [2]
Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Dance, Break Up, Coffee Shops, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M, did i use that right?, hyungwonho does not break up, i guesS??????, model!hyungwon, so just basically usual wonho, wonho is a flirt and a perv watch out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-09-14 12:03:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9180682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowyxiu/pseuds/snowyxiu
Summary: for the millionth time, hoseok finds himself very, very in love, and for the first time, someone feels the same.





	1. 1/3

**Author's Note:**

> just a heads up: this is part 2 of a series. i tried to explain parts that happened in the first story, "my new muse" but it may be a bit confusing. if so, you should check out the first story. its showhyuk ;) and things about their relationship, as well as hoseok's most recent relationship are explained.  
> have fun with this

Love. That was all Hoseok ever wanted. He wanted someone he could trust, someone who would listen to him when he needed to vent, someone who would care for him when his anxiety kicked in. He needed someone who would cuddle him, kiss him, and most of all, be with him. 

  
Yes, Hoseok was a needy person.    
  
He could hardly function without some love in his life. Of course, his roommate Hyunwoo knew this, and he did everything he could to comfort Hoseok, but it was only brotherly love. Hoseok needed more.    
  
There were many people Hoseok had dated since entering college. By the end of his second year, everyone knew who he was, either because their friends hooked up with him (which was mainly the case) or because he had directly been in a relationship with them (only true for about thirty or so people). Some people liked him. Others looked to him as some sort of legend. Most people thought he was a dirty whore. Which he wasn't. He was a major softy.    
  
The only reason he formed so many relationships (romantic ones, which, needless to say, failed) was because something never went right. His partner would say that they wanted to see other people, because they were in young, after all. Most of the time, it was because they thought Hoseok wasn't in it for the heartfelt love. Trying to find someone on campus that was willing to view him as their boyfriend and not their fun Friday night date seemed like a lost cause. He didn't know why people wouldn't take him seriously.    
  
Hoseok was almost ready to give up. Almost.    
  
But as always, someone came along and made him change his mind. The last time, it had been some sweet boy he met in the library late one night while finishing up a project. “Shin Hoseok, right? I'm Yoo Kihyun.” The other student was attractive, Hoseok was afraid to admit, and he had the nicest smile and the fluffiness pink hair. To top it off, Kihyun offered to help him with his project. 

 

It seemed to be going smoothly for once. Hoseok managed to keep this one for three months until his boyfriend’s ‘roommate’ came back from a semester in France. Only problem was that this ‘roommate’ was in fact Kihyun’s other _boyfriend,_ Lee Minhyuk,whom he had been cheating on with Hoseok (who had been completely unaware of the situation). Needless to say, Minhyuk was furious when he found out. Instead of the peaceful movie night Hoseok had prepared for, he was bombarded with screams and insults being thrown to him and the student laying beside him. 

Hoseok watched in horror as Minhyuk packed his belongings and stormed out of the room for good. He was worried for the guy, so he made sure Kihyun knew that what he had done was terrible. Kihyun only tried to justify his actions, but Hoseok would have none of it. 

Everything had been going smoothly for once, but as always, it had a messy ending. His relationship with Kihyun brought him even closer to giving up. Maybe he should give up everything.  _ No one cares about me anyways, _ he thought.  _ I'm only their toy.  _ He was a disposable toy that people used until he broke down. 

He was tired of people breaking his heart when all he wanted was for someone to put it back together again. 

"Minhyuk says he's fine," Hyunwoo tells Hoseok about two weeks after the incident with Kihyun. Hyunwoo had taken it upon himself to take care of the younger student, and although no official announcements were made, Hoseok was sure they were dating.  _ Probably going to turn out well _ .    


"That's good," he said, although it wasn't good. Not for him, at least. He was still hurting. He was still broken once again.    
  
Hyunwoo walked towards his roommate. "You'll find someone."    
  
"Yeah, I usually do. I'm going to bed. Busy day."    
  
  
  
“Okay, people!” shouted the choreographer. Hoseok looked up from his position in the corner where he was stretching. He was all alone, on account of his bad reputation, but he always looked forward to the dance club. It was the only chance he got to do what he actually wanted because his mother refused to pay dance academy tuition. 

“We have a new member today,” the woman continued in her high voice. “His name is Chae Hyungwon.”

Hoseok stood up to get a better look at the new dancer, and he was pleasantly surprised. The boy was tall and thin and his legs looked amazing, even in his loose track pants. As if a beautiful body wasn't enough, the guy also had a face that bordered on perfection. Sure, Hoseok had found a fair share of people attractive, but Hyungwon was out of this world. 

_ Let's see if his moves are as nice as his looks.  _

Apparently, everyone had been thinking the same thing. “Chae,” one boy called out. “What styles do you dance?”

“Hiphop,” the tall dancer replied, voice a bit unsteady (but still unreasonably attractive). “I've been dancing since I was fourteen and only tried that one style, but I hope joining this club will help me expand.”

A few snickers rolled through the crowd of dancers. Hoseok knew what they were all thinking: this kid hasn't even danced for ten years, and on top of that, he only knows one style. “Show us what you've got!” a girl challenged. 

Hyungwon nodded obediently and waited for the music to turn on. It was some American rap song—“Numb” by August Alsina, Hoseok thinks. For the first few seconds of the song, the dancer awkwardly moved to the beat and Hoseok could feel everyone silently mocking him. He had just turned away when a loud “Oh!” from the dancers turned his attention back to Hyungwon. The boy had started to dance and, wow, was he good. Hoseok’s jaw dropped as the dancer’s body moved effortlessly. The others cheered and Hyungwon broke into a smile. 

“Yeah, Chae Hyungwon!” Hoseok yelled. The boy didn't look over at him, but he knew that his comment boosted his confidence. 

The dance was ended too soon, and Hyungwon was getting approving looks from some of the dancers, however, none seemed to be interested in letting him join their groups. Hoseok shrugged it off and went back to stretching in his corner. 

A few minutes later, he was interrupted by a sweet voice. “Is it okay if I stretch over here?” 

Hoseok looked up to see Hyungwon’s lanky figure leaning over him.  _ Damn, he looks good from every angle.  _ “Go ahead,” he says, flashing his signature smile. “I could use some company.” 

Hyungwon nodded and sat down on the floor, legs stretched in front of him. 

“Shin Hoseok,” he introduced himself. “And I know you're Chae Hyungwon, the insanely good freestyler.” 

He liked the way Hyungwon smiled shyly and said, “Thank you,” a little quieter than normal. The boy was an angel, and Hoseok was a goner. 

  
  


All week, Hoseok looked forward to the dance club more than usual, and he had to admit it was because of Hyungwon. They were by no means friends, but Hyungwon would stand in the spot near Hoseok when they practiced combinations (it was the only unoccupied space) and stretch with him before classes (because that was the only empty part of the floor that would fit Hyungwon’s long legs). 

Still, Hoseok enjoyed his company. It was nice to have someone that wasn't Hyunwoo around once in a while. However, he was worried that he was beginning to develop feelings for the handsome dancer. 

“Attention everyone,” called their instructor. “We’re going to host dance show on campus. We’ll learn something as a whole group, but I also want you all to split up into smaller groups and choreograph something yourselves. I’ll give you all of today and next week, and then we’ll start our group routine.” With that, she left the room. 

Hoseok turned to Hyungwon, who was looking around nervously. “You wanna team up, Chae?” 

Hyungwon nodded. “Is that fine with you?”

“It's actually great, because I have no idea which group I would have joined.” He laughed, but Hyungwon didn't seem to find it very funny. “Let’s get a practice room before someone takes it.”

They ran out of the room, and fortunately for them, there was one room left. “Let's get to work.”

  
  
  


Hours later, they were still in the practice room. The sun was going down, and they were the only ones still working. Hyungwon was not one to give up, Hoseok discovered. They had choreographed a good amount of the song already, but the tall dancer insisted that they finish getting the moves down so they could perfect it the next week. “Do you have Saturday classes?” Hoseok asked, because he was not looking forward to waking up early the next day for Korean Literature after a night of dancing. 

Hyungwon paused for a second before running to turn off the music. “I–I’m not a student.”

“What now?” Hoseok tilted his head to the side. 

“I went to high school, but I stopped there. I asked to join this club since it's close to my apartment, and I think they felt bad about turning me down so they let me in.” He laughed a little at the last part. 

Hoseok nodded and sat on the floor, Hyungwon following suit. “No wonder I haven't seen you around campus. Do you just...live on your own?”

Hyungwon fiddled with the sleeves of his sweatshirt. “I guess you could say so. My, um, partner used to stay, but—yeah, that's pretty much it.”

_ Partner _ . Hoseok’s heart dropped. “Ah, that's nice.”

“He moved on— _ out _ , though.” Hyungwon stood up and brushed off his clothes. “They left so I'm alone again.” 

Hoseok frowned.  _ Sounds like something I'm used to, _ he thought, although he didn't dare say it aloud. Hyungwon’s voice was thick and heavy, and he was stumbling over every word. “You okay? I'm sorry if I brought up bad memories.”

“It's fine,” Hyungwon said, although he shook his head. “Just a little lonely, is all.” 

“Me too,” Hoseok said, standing up. “Hey, I have a class tomorrow at eight in the morning, so I have to get going. Maybe we could get breakfast after my class and come back here to keep working?” He smiled, hoping that Hyungwon would take him up on his offer. 

Hyungwon contemplated for a second. “I'd like that.”

“Great!” His smile stretched farther across his face. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

After exchanging phone numbers and tidying up the studio, they each said goodbye as the they went their separate ways. 

  
  
  


Korean Lit could not have passed by any quicker. Hoseok’s leg was shaking the whole class, and the student near him seemed a bit aggravated by his rattling of the desk. He couldn't help it, though. He was anxious to see Hyungwon. The night before, after he had gotten back to the dorm, he sent a text giving the time and location of their meet up. (Hoseok wished he could call it something more.) Hyungwon replied with, “I’ll wake up early just for you,” followed by a winky face and a goodnight. It made Hoseok’s heart flutter just a little bit. 

_ You can't fall in love with him,  _ he told himself. Technically, he could fall in love with Hyungwon. He could fall in love with whoever he wanted. The problem was that he didn't want to fall in love with someone so  _ amazing _ again, because it would fall apart and he would be broken again. 

He was pulled from his thoughts when, suddenly, students began to leave the classroom, signaling that their professor had dismissed them. 

“Mr. Shin, a word with you.”

Hoseok gulped.  _ Oh no.  _ “Yes, Mr. Kwon?”

“I saw you were spacing out in class again.”

“Have I been doing that often?”

Mr. Kwon nodded. “You have, as of late. Now, you probably won't be surprised to find out that I know a  _ bit _ about your reputation, Hoseok, and I don't want to be intrusive, so I will just say this as general advice: you are here to learn, not party. I understand it's part of the ‘college experience,’ as you call it, but your parents are paying a lot of money.”

“Mr. Kwon,” Hoseok began, but was cut off by his teacher. 

“I want you to know that I'm not mad at you, and daydreaming during my class is not bothering me. You are a wonderful student. It is just my but of advice: spend your time studying instead of partying.”

“Mr. Kwon,” he tried again. “Do people say stuff like that about me?” The man nodded, a confused expression on his face. Hoseok sighed. “I don't party every night. Actually, I haven't gone to a party in the past six weeks. I'm just...unsure of a lot of things in my life, and I'm trying to work it out.”

The teacher gave him a sympathetic look. “I'm sorry, Hoseok. I guess there are quite the rumors going around about you.”

“I'm afraid so, sir. I'm sorry for interrupting you. I just want you to know I'm not some dirty whore.”

Mr. Kwon frowned and tilted his head to the side. “I believe in you more than any of my other students, Mr. Shin. Even if you were ‘some dirty whore’ I wouldn't see you as any less of a genius as I do now. Now, if you ever need better advice or someone to talk to, don't be afraid to see me. You’re a smart man; you will get through it.”

Hoseok smiled as Mr. Kwon placed a firm hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, sir. I really need to get going now.” With that, he ran out of the room and back to his dorm. 

When he bursted into the room, he didn't expect Minhyuk to be sitting on Hyunwoo’s bed looking somewhat startled. “You scared me.”

Hoseok looked down at the floor. “Sorry.” Although Hyunwoo claimed that Minhyuk was fine with him, he couldn't help but feel guilty for the art student. 

“Hey, cheer up,” Minhyuk said, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. “Something happen?”

“Nothing,” Hoseok said, finally looking up. “I'm just meeting up with someone really soon and I need to find clothes.”

Minhyuk gave a mischievous smile. “Is it a date?”

“I wish,” Hoseok replied. “Like, I wish I could date this guy, but I don't know how either of us feel yet. It's complicated.”

Minhyuk nodded understandingly. “You should still go looking like a stud.” He smiled again, and Hoseok wished he could be that happy all the time. “I can help you find clothes. It'll be great.” He jumped off the bed and ran to open the closet. “Casual or fancy? Probably casual at this hour, what am I thinking?”

“Pick something that I can dance in,” he said while sending a message to Hyungwon saying that he may be a minute or two late. 

When it was all said and done, Hoseok left the dorm wearing a light pink sweatshirt and jeans with rips in the knees Minhyuk said that they would be loose enough to dance, but still tight enough to show off Hoseok’s “thick thighs,” as he put it. He slipped on his dancing sneakers and ran through the campus. 

He arrived at the cafe they agreed on three minutes late, which was later than he had warned. Silently cursing himself for taking too long, he walked through the crowded place. He searched to find Hyungwon sitting at a high table in the corner. The guy definitely knew how to dress. His tight black pants hugged his (very) thin legs and accentuated their lean muscles, and an oversized sweater was draped over his slim figure perfectly. 

“Hey there,” Hoseok greeted, startling Hyungwon in the process. 

“Hi. You snuck up on me.”

Hoseok chuckled. “But you looked so cute.” 

“Shut up,” Hyungwon said, turning away. 

“Whatever. I can't hide the truth.” Hoseok hoisted himself into the seat, a bit embarrassed that his feet, unlike Hyungwon’s, dangled above the floor. “Have you been waiting a while?”

“A little. I came ten minutes early, though, so it's not your fault.”

“Someone was eager.”

Hyungwon shrugged. “Like I said, I'm lonely. I was eager to have company.”

“I'm offended.” Hoseok pouted. “You weren't eager to see me?” 

“I guess you're part of it.” Hyungwon looked at Hoseok from under his bangs and smirked. 

“That's what I like to hear.” He leaned over the table and brushed a finger under the other man’s chin. He pulled back with a quiet yelp, making Hoseok laugh. “Ticklish?”

Hyungwon touched a hand to his chin and smiled sheepishly. 

“Let's get some breakfast while the line’s short.”

Half a blueberry muffin later, Hyungwon was back to blowing on his black coffee. “Eat some more, Hyungwon,” Hoseok prompted. 

Hyungwon shook his head. “Saving it for later.”

Hoseok nodded. “Do you want a creamer?”

“I take it black,” Hyungwon stated. 

“Aren't you tough?”

“I guess you could say I'm pretty hardcore, yes.”

Hoseok laughed at that and wrapped up the rest of his muffin. “You sure you don't want any creamer? It'll make it cooler.” 

“I'm fine.” He went back to blowing on his coffee for a while before building up the courage to ask, “Are you seeing anyone?”

Hoseok chuckled. “I see you.”

“No, I mean,” the other blushed, “are you dating anyone?”

He sighed. Of course the question would come around at some point. “Not right now. I kinda just went through a messy breakup.”

“That sucks.”

Hoseok looked out the window. “Yeah, really. I've honestly been through more people than I can count on two hands.”

They sat silently for a while. “My boyfriend—ex-boyfriend I guess—ditched me a month ago for one of our, um, coworkers. Love sucks.”

“I can't live without it,” Hoseok commented quietly and looked up from his coffee. Hyungwon was staring blankly into his own cup. “Hey, it's all gonna get better. It always does.”  _ Until it starts to hurt again.  _

“Sure,” Hyungwon said, although he didn't sound so sure. 

Hoseok brushed his fingers under Hyungwon’s chin again, and the latter laughed this time. “Stop it. I can feel myself getting a double chin when you do that.”

“I like it,” Hoseok teased. “We should get going to the studio, don't you think?”

  
  
  


The sun had set hours ago, yet they were still in the practice rooms dancing. Their only food had been the other half of their muffins and protein bars from the vending machine. Hoseok wasn't used to running on so little food, and it was beginning to show in his dancing. 

“I'm exhausted,” he admitted, sitting on the floor. 

Hyungwon went to the speaker system and unplugged his phone. “I guess we can call it a day. If it fits into your schedule, I wanted to finish the choreography tomorrow. Then we could polish it up during the week.”

Although exhausted, Hoseok was willing to wake up early the next morning to finish their dance. “Yeah. We should meet at the cafe the same time as today. Or earlier if you want. Up to you.”

“Same time sounds good.” Hyungwon put his phone in his back pocket after checking the time. “Damn, it’s already after ten.”

“Is your apartment far?”

Hyungwon looked down. “It's kinda far.”

“I’ll walk you there if I can stay,” Hoseok offered. “I would say we could stay in my dorm, but my roommate already shares a bed with his boyfriend because he has nowhere to stay. It's a long story.” He smiled and shrugged a little, hoping that it was cute enough. 

Hyungwon nodded. “I’d like that. My place isn't really in a friendly neighborhood, and I'm quite the target.” He cringed as if he knew firsthand what an easy target he was. 

“Hyungwon, if you ever feel like you aren't safe, tell me and I'll walk you home. You can repay me by letting me stay the night. Sound like a deal?” The tall dancer nodded and shook the hand that was stretched out for him. “Let's get going.”

They walked quietly for some time before Hyungwon broke the silence. "I’ve been meaning to ask you: long have you been dancing?"    
  
"Ah, let's see...sixteen years, about."    
  
Hyungwon hummed in admiration. "Wow. You started when you were pretty young."    
  
"Yeah. I started with stuff like ballet and then when I was ten or something I found out about hip hop. I've been doing that ever since." There was another awkward pause. "I really love dancing," he said in an attempt to keep the conversation going. "All through high school I would dance instead of doing homework. I had my dreams set on becoming an idol or a backup dancer—something like that—but I was a little too late. I should have gone to a special school if I wanted to go into the entertainment industry. Then my mom said that if I wanted to go to a dance academy, I would have to pay for it, so I did some street performing to make a few bucks." Hoseok laughed a little. "It was literally a few bucks by the end of a year. So that's what I'm doing at this place, studying to be a physical therapist."    
  
"I'm sure some company would hire you as a choreographer," Hyungwon responded slowly.    
  
"Not enough experience. They're gonna want someone who has gone to school for dance, not me." Hoseok turned to the other dancer beside him. "What about you?"    
  
Hyungwon tugged at the sleeves of his sweatshirt again, and Hoseok wondered why he always seemed so uncomfortable when he was asked about his personal life. "Well, I don't have as much dancing experience, so becoming a professional dancer never really crossed my mind. I just do it for fun."    
  
Hoseok nodded at that. "What about your job? You mentioned it before."    
  
The taller dancer ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, it just pays the bills." He was silent a while after and obviously quite tired. Although Hoseok was very curious, he didn't want to seem obsessed.    
  
"We're still going the right way, right?"    
  
Hyungwon nodded. "Almost there."    
  
They walked another two blocks, then turned down an alley and Hyungwon stopped at a door which was suspiciously covered by a dumpster. Hoseok didn't like the looks of it.  _ He did say it wasn't a good part of town...  _ __  
  
It took Hyungwon a few tries to unlock the door. "The front doors close at 6 p.m. but we all get keys for the side door," he explained. Hoseok was still bothered by the fact that Hyungwon had to go through an alley to get home.    
  
The door was finally opened, and it lead to a poorly lit hallway. The hall split at the end, one side a narrow staircase and the other a laundry room. He followed Hyungwon up the stairs (which were only the width of a person) and down another hallway, which had slightly better lighting. Hyungwon unlocked what Hoseok could only assume was his apartment. The room was not very big.    
  
_ It's okay _ , he told himself.  _ He's living alone so it's already great that he can afford a place.  _ __  
  
Everything in the apartment was to the right of the door, save the clothes rack which was positioned a few feet away from the entrance (which was as far as it could go, as the apartment did not go too deep). The bed stretched from one wall to the next and there was a shower curtain on the far side of the bed, covering anything between the bed and the wall.    
  
To think Hoseok thought the college dorms were small...    
  
After removing his shoes, Hyungwon picked up a few candy wrappers and chip bags that had been thrown on the floor. "I'm sorry. I haven't been expecting guests."    
  
"Don't worry about it. I'm happy to have some company that's not my roommate and his guy, for once."    
  
Hyungwon smiled and Hoseok found it adorable. "I'm happy to have some company in general." He rubbed his eyes. "This is embarrassing," he mumbled, looking around at his apartment. "If you need to take a piss the toilet is behind the curtain. The showers are closed now, but you can try washing up at the sink. Not too hard, I do it all the time."    
  
Hoseok nodded, forcing himself to not feel sorry for Hyungwon. It wasn't that he didn't care; he just didn't want his new friend to feel like he was being looked down upon. "Sounds good. If you don't mind, I'm going to use your bathroom."    
  
Hyungwon laughed awkwardly and nodded. "Don't worry about the bed."    
  
Hoseok crawled over the bed and  slipped behind the shower curtain. The 'bathroom' was surprisingly nice. A small crate under the sink held different makeups, and a wire shelf held stacks of facial cleansers and creams. He did as Hyungwon had told him, washing himself at the sink. The curtain moved and he could hear the sound of blankets being taken off the bed.    
  
"Sorry," came Hyungwon's voice. "I'm just making a place to sleep. You can have the bed."    
  
Hoseok turned off the water. "You're not sleeping on the floor. That bed is big enough for both of us."    
  
"It's fine, Hoseok. You don't need to share with me."   
  
"I don't want you sleeping on the floor." He poked his head out from behind the curtain. "If you don't want to sleep in the bed with me, I'll sleep on the floor." Hyungwon nodded.    
  
When Hoseok left Hyungwon's bathroom, Hyungwon had tucked himself into the covers, facing towards the curtain. "I need to sleep," he said, struggling to keep his eyes open. "If you need a shirt, take something from me. Or other clothes—" His voice trailed off drowsily.    
  
"I don't sleep with a shirt," Hoseok said cautiously. "Is that okay?"    
  
Hyungwon's eyes were already closed and it took him a second to process. "Yeah, fine. Don't...do anything to me."   
  
Hoseok looked confused. "Don't worry. Sweet dreams, Hyungwon." The other groaned and turned the other way.    
  
  
  
The next morning, Hoseok woke up to find Hyungwon fast asleep. The dancer's features were so soft and relaxed that Hoseok had to hold himself back from touching him. Instead, he fished his phone out of his pants that were still on the edge of the bed and looked that the time. 9:52. They were somewhat behind schedule, seeing as they both needed to get ready then go have breakfast. 

He laid back in bed, unsure of what to do. He didn't want to disrupt Hyungwon, but he could do anything unless the other was awake. Another hour passed, and Hyungwon finally began to stir. "Good morning," he greeted.    
  
"Huh?" Hyungwon pushed himself up on his elbows and shook his head. "Hi, Hoseok." His voice was deep and raspy and Hoseok would be lying if he said he didn't find it insanely attractive.    
  
With a good amount of groaning and sniffling, Hyungwon sat up. "I almost forgot why you were in my bed," he chuckled, the sound going straight up Hoseok's spine.    
  
"Still wanna finish the dance today?” Hyungwon shrugged. “It's almost eleven.”

“We can save it for later.”

“Alright. Let’s hang out until then.”

Hyungwon seemed flustered. "Okay." For a split second, his eyes traveled to Hoseok's chest, which had been uncovered when Hyungwon sat up.   
  
"Can I borrow some clothes?" he asked with a smirk. Hyungwon nodded rapidly.    
  
"I'll be in the bathroom getting ready. You can use whatever you want."   
  
"Thanks," Hoseok said, crawling out from under the covers to get clothes. He opted for wearing his own pants because all of Hyungwon's would be far too tight, but he pulled a plain black sweatshirt off the hanger. It was loose on him, so it must have swallowed Hyungwon when he was wearing it. He sat on the bed waiting for the other.    
  
_ This place isn't that bad _ , he thought to himself. Every morning, Hyungwon only had to roll out of bed to get to the bathroom, and his closet was two steps away from his bed. Of course, the showers were closed by the time Hyungwon came home from dance club, so he was doomed if he had to go somewhere in the morning. Which reminded Hoseok...   
  
"Hyungwon, do you have to go to work today?" he asked when said man pulled away the bathroom curtain. He was wearing skinny jeans and a long black sweater. There were thick black glasses perched high on his nose.    
  
"No," he replied, stepping up to walk over the bed. "My job's a little different." He proceeded in folding the shirt he used to sleep.    
  
"Can I know what you do?" Hoseok asked, still quite curious.    
  
Hyungwon shrugged. "You'll probably think it's weird."   
  
"Are you..." Hoseok tried to hide his smirk. "Are you a stripper?"    
  
Hyungwon choked on the air and ended up messing up the shirt he was folding. "N–no!"   
  
"Well, why are you being so secretive?"   
  
"I'm a model," Hyungwon revealed, folding the shirt once again.    
  
"Oh," Hoseok said, somewhat let down. "I thought it was going to be something extravagant."   
  
"No, it's just a little embarrassing. It's, um, some nonsensical thing with posters and stuff."   
  
The smirk came back to Hoseok's face. "What magazine is it?"   
  
"None of your business," said the model, turning the other way. There was a hint of red in his cheeks.    
  
"Are they dirty pictures?" Hoseok wiggled his eyebrows and leaned forward on the bed.    
  
Hyungwon shook his head rapidly. "No! They're just...more intimate than I'd like to get with my friends."   
  
Hoseok sat on the bed in silence. “To be honest,” he started, flattening the sheets under his hands, “I was hoping we might be a little more than friends someday.”

The taller dancer froze for a good ten seconds. Soft footsteps made their way to the bed and he sat down. “Hoseok, I don't wants someone who likes me for my looks.”

“Who said I liked your looks?” 

Hyungwon gave him a quite offended look. 

Hoseok smiled. “Of course, you're one of the most handsome men I've seen in my life, but you're also one of the most talented dancers I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. The way you move is so smooth, it's honestly kind of rude. And your voice sends shivers down my spine, it's so beautiful, and I'd really love to listen to it every day.” He chuckled, then added, “Especially when you wake up. It's really sexy.”

“You are so…” 

“I'm so what?” Hyungwon shook his head, so Hoseok took it as a signal to continue. “You also have an adorable personality. You don't say too much, but you're so confident when you do speak. And when you get embarrassed, it's the cutest thing, with that smile and you cover your face up.” 

“You're amazing.” 

Hoseok smiled. “You think so?” He tickled his fingers under Hyungwon’s chin. 

“Except when you do that.”


	2. 2/3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i wanted to finish this in 2 parts but it hasnt been working out. also i will be entering a hyungwonho bingo. please stay tuned :)

“Hyungwon, you did great. Stop being so hard on yourself." Hoseok ran his hand reassuringly over the younger dancer's back. The dance club had just wrapped up their stages and the performers were loitering in the studios. 

 

"I did better during practice," Hyungwon said, rubbing his cheeks with his hands. 

 

"I think you did a great job." They sat quietly for a while. "Hey, how about we go get ice cream to celebrate." Hyungwon agreed.

 

Hoseok wanted to bring Hyungwon to dinner instead, call it a date. But they weren't dating. Earlier in the week, when Hoseok had slept at Hyungwon's apartment, he was so sure the model was into him. One more sign and he would have asked him to be his boyfriend right then and there. Hyungwon  _ had _ to mess it up, though, and say, "Hoseok, I like you a lot, but I'm not ready for a relationship."

 

Hoseok's dreams were shattered that moment. (Well, maybe not all of his dreams, but the dreams that involved Hyungwon.) He had been so close to love again, but it got snatched away before it could even ruin him.  _ I guess it's for the best _ , he thought. The two continued to be friends—just  _ very _ close friends. But they weren't technically dating. 

 

Technically. 

 

Hoseok tells himself this as they're walking down the street and Hyungwon's long fingers are wrapper around his bicep. They are friends—just  _ very _ close friends who hold onto each other while walking down the sidewalk. Nothing more, nothing less. Hoseok could deal with that for a while, but he still hoped that someday Hyungwon would be ready for a relationship. 

 

At the ice cream parlor, Hyungwon chose the first booth near the door. It was surrounded by windows on two sides. "I like to watch people," he explained. 

 

The waitress came quickly. "H–hello," she said, voice wavering as she continued, "what can I get you today?"

 

Hoseok looked down at the menu after making sure to flash his signature smile. "I'll have two scoops of cookies and cream."

 

The girl wrote the order on her notepad. "Whipped cream?"

 

Hoseok winked at her. "If it's not too much to ask, sweetie."

 

She scribbled a bit more. "A–and for you?"

 

"One scoop of vanilla ice cream."

 

"Come on," Hoseok whined. "Get something cool."

 

"Vanilla ice cream is cool," Hyungwon protested. "No cone, please."

 

The girl nodded, but before she could leave, Hoseok pulled her back. "Honey, make it a cone for him, if it's not too hard." She nodded obediently and scurried off to behind the counter. 

 

"I think she recognized you," Hoseok whispered after she had gone. 

 

Hyungwon hummed in reply. "She was cute. Too bad I'm not into girls. But you seemed pretty flirty. What's that all about?" he asked tauntingly.

 

Hoseok shrugged. "I flirt with whoever I want, regardless of what's in their pants." 

 

"Quite the player, are we?"

 

"No—well, yes and no." Hoseok brushed the hair out of his eyes. "I have been around, but my sexuality has nothing to do with it."

 

Hyungwon bobbed his head in understanding. 

 

The waitress came back a moment later. "Here you go. You can pay at the front whenever you're done." She paused at that table for a moment. "You're Chae Hyungwon, right?" 

 

Hoseok gave Hyungwon a mischievous look from across the table. "Yes, I am."

 

She looked at the floor shyly. "You are so handsome in person."

 

"Am I not handsome in pictures?"

 

"Y–you're always handsome!" she insisted. "It's just...seeing you in person..."

 

Hyungwon chuckled. "Thank you,  _ s–sweetie _ ." He said the last word as though it was an afterthought. The girl bowed quickly and ran back to the cash register to brag to the other waitresses. 

 

"Was I fine?" Hyungwon asked. 

 

"S–sweetie," Hoseok mocked. "Just kidding. You did fine. Only thing I wanna know is why can girly over there look at your magazine pictures but I can't?"

 

“Really wanna see it?” Hyungwon leaned forward in his seat and looked Hoseok in the eye, a playful look on his face. He licked the ice cream slowly, then proceeded to swirl his tongue around the treat in a way Hoseok didn’t know was possible. He could feel his face heating up as Hyungwon licked ice cream off his lips. “Happy now?"

 

Hoseok smirked. "Yeah." 

 

"You're such a creep," Hyungwon said, giving him a disgusted look. 

 

"Says the one who just gave a blowjob to a vanilla ice cream."

 

Hyungwon frowned. “You wanted to know what the pictures looked like, so I gave you a live show.”

 

“I didn’t ask for a live show. I just wanted to see the pictures,” Hoseok explained. “But feel free to do it again.”

 

Hyungwon mumbled something under his breath and went back to eating his ice cream, this time in a much more chaste fashion. 

 

They were so concentrated on eating their ice cream that neither of them said a word for a good five minutes. Hyungwon, who was the first one done, broke the silence. “You have some right  _ there _ .” He motioned to a spot near his mouth on his own face. Hoseok looked up to see where he was pointing, then stuck the tip of his tongue out to clean up. “Still there,” Hyungwon said. Hoseok tried again, but failed. “Here.” Hyungwon leaned over the table and wiped the corner of Hoseok’s lips. He stuck his finger in his own mouth. “Pretty good.”

 

Hoseok’s eyes widened. “Look who’s Mr. Outgoing today.” He could feel his heart beating faster.

 

Hyungwon shrugged and pulled out his phone. “After you finish that, you wanna go to my place?”

 

“Sounds good. You have any more ramen?”

 

“Are you still going to be hungry after eating that?”

 

Hoseok nodded. “I'm always hungry.” Hyungwon rolled his eyes at that. 

  
  
  


When they arrived at Hyungwon’s apartment, they had to use the alleyway entrance because they spent too much time at the ice cream parlor. Hoseok decided that he was okay with Hyungwon using that door as long as he wasn’t alone (which meant that Hoseok would have to be with him, which also meant that he would get to spend the night). Hoseok liked staying the night because they would cuddle on Hyungwon’s bed while watching movies on his laptop. 

 

That particular night, their cuddling went a bit too far. Sometime into the movie, Hyungwon found his way onto Hoseok and ended up straddling his hips. Hoseok didn't quite mind the fact that the movie was interrupted, nor was he bothered by Hyungwon’s soft lips on his jaw. It was something completely different. “Stop,” he said, pushing Hyungwon off of him. 

 

"What is it?" Hyungwon asked, disappointed. 

 

"I can't deal with this anymore," he said, crawling to the opposite edge of the bed. "I can't deal with you acting like you want me, but you always come back and say that you don't wanna be with me. If we're going to do this, we're going to be serious about it."

 

Hyungwon was silent for a moment, then covered his face with his hand. “I'm scared.”

 

“What?”

 

“I'm scared,” he repeated with more confidence. “I don't want to mess up.”

 

Hoseok spread his hands over the bed sheets below him. “Tell me what happened.” He didn't know if Hyungwon would take offense to the command or even get mad at him. He didn't expect him to answer, so he was surprised when the younger started talking. 

 

“He was another model from a different agency. We knew each other through this jacket brand that we both shot for. In the dressing room, when the stylists all left, he said he thought I was handsome...and a lot of other things. I brought him here after the shoot and—and that's when it started. 

 

“We weren't even dating at first. Just sort of friends with benefits, I guess. He payed 75% of my rent in exchange for food and companionship.” He chuckled. “We were like that for months, then he finally decided he wanted to call me his boyfriend.

 

“For some reason, after he made our relationship something official, he was really...possessive. I couldn't go anywhere without him knowing first, he checked my phone every day, and he got mad if I came home later than he expected. And for every little mistake, h–he made sure to punish me. It was hell, and my manager was getting mad at me on top of it, asking why I was bruised here, scarred there, red somewhere else. I almost lost my job." Hyungwon was visibly uncomfortable by now, and Hoseok wanted to tell him it was okay to stop. "He was out to ruin my life, and I couldn't do anything about it. Finally, I came home one day to him yelling about how I couldn’t fulfill his needs and how he had already hooked up with some girl at his agency.” 

 

Hyungwon took a deep breath. “I feel weird about dating seriously. It was all fine when we were just kinda friends, but once he made it official—I don’t want to ruin us.”

 

“I understand how you feel.” Hoseok reached out to hold Hyungwon’s hand, but the younger pulled it away. “I’ll respect that. But just so you know, I will never hurt you like he did.”

 

“Thank you,” Hyungwon said, his voice small and his head low. 

 

“Want a hug?” Hoseok asked, arms open. 

 

Hyungwon shook his head, and Hoseok’s smile instantly fell. “Later. I’m getting tired. Is it okay if I go to sleep?”

 

Hoseok nodded. “You don’t need to ask.”

 

“Thank you, Hoseok. I’m sorry.”

 

“No need to say sorry,” Hoseok answered, though he wasn't sure the younger could hear him over the rustling of the bed sheets. A second later, the light was out.

  
  
  


Hoseok woke up in the middle of the night to find the spot next to him empty. He sat up to find Hyungwon crouching in the far corner of the apartment, the light of his laptop illuminating his face. “Hyungwon?”

 

The younger gasped and turned around. “God, you scared me. Why are you up?”

 

“I was going to ask you the same thing.”

 

Hyungwon glanced back at the laptop on the floor. “It was my manager. He kept calling me and sent me a text to check my email. The buzzing woke me up.” He sighed. “He always calls at the worst times.”

 

“Ah,” Hoseok said, rubbing his eyes. “Are you coming back to sleep?”

 

Hyungwon nodded. “If it were a shoot at this hour, I would quit my job. I can barely open my eyes enough to see the screen.”

 

Hoseok laughed and patted the spot on the bed. “Come sleep.”

 

Hyungwon closed his laptop and shuffled back to bed with his eyes closed. “Hoseok,” he started drowsily, “I’m sorry for being harsh earlier.”

 

“You didn't do anything wrong,” he assured. 

 

“I didn't wanna a hug then because I was scared of being close to you, but I–I wanna hug now. Are you up for it?” 

 

Hoseok wrapped his arms around Hyungwon and the latter seemed to melt in his grasp. “Of course. Now, get some rest, sleepy head.”

 

Hyungwon nodded weakly and his breathing evened out. Hoseok couldn't help but smile.  _ If only he was mine… _

  
  
  


When the sun rose the next morning, Hyungwon was still nuzzled against Hoseok’s chest. The older liked the warm feeling bubbling inside of him, but he also hated it. He hated it because there was nothing he could do about it. Maybe getting so close to Hyungwon had been a bad idea. 

 

“Rise and shine,” he whispered, not expecting Hyungwon’s eyes to flutter open like they did. Their noses were only a few inches from touching, and the younger scrambled backwards to put distance between them. “Sorry, I—”

 

“It's okay,” Hyungwon said drowsily. “Just startled me.” Running his fingers through his hair, he asked, “Do you have any classes today?”

 

Hoseok shook his head. “Nope, don't have to go to that prison for a little while.”

 

“Good,” Hyungwon chuckled. He got out of bed and shuffled to his clothing rack. (It would be a lie to say Hoseok didn't check out the younger’s ass.) “We’re gonna go see a movie.”

 

“This early?” Hoseok asked.

 

“No. They aren't even open until two. We're going to the matinee because it's cheaper and neither of us have money.”

 

Hoseok sat up, pulling the sheets around himself to cover his bare chest. “Why don't we just watch something on your laptop?”

 

Hyungwon shrugged. “I wanted to go to the mall with you, too. I figured a movie would be the best way to get you to come.” 

 

“Are we gonna...shop?”

 

“Yeah. You have a problem with that?”

 

Hoseok shook his head. “No! Not at all. It's just that… I'm wondering what you're really gonna get, since you say you have no money.”

 

“Sometimes, you find an outfit that you're willing to spend grocery money on.” He pulled a shirt and bomber jacket off the handler and threw it on the bed. “Put this on. I don't want you wearing your sweaty clothes from yesterday.” He rummaged through his pants until he found a pair of light blue jeans. “They're loose on me, so they should fit you.”

 

“Thanks,” Hoseok said, throwing the covers off his body. He could sense Hyungwon’s eyes on him. 

 

“Ca–can't you wear a little more clothes when we share the bed?”

 

“What, like my sweaty clothes from yesterday?”

 

Hyungwon sighed. “Like a shirt. Maybe boxers or something instead of girl underwear.”

 

Hoseok looked down at his gray briefs. “I'll have you know, these are most definitely for men.”

 

“Okay, well I'm the twinky gay model here, and my underwear is more modest than that.” (It was true, since he was wearing plaid boxers and a ratty old T-shirt.) 

 

“If you feel left out, we can find you some like these at the mall.”

 

Hyungwon’s face turned a deep red and he shook his head. “I'm good,” he said shakily, earning a laugh from the other. “Put your clothes on so we can have breakfast.” He reached into his small fridge. “Today it's just fruit salad.”

  
  
  


An hour later, they had finished breakfast and were walking around the mall. Hyungwon insisted that Hoseok try four different pairs of skinny jeans, all of which were far too tight. “That one looks good,” Hyungwon said when Hoseok stepped out of the dressing room. 

 

“I can't feel my—”

 

“Who cares?” Hyungwon interjected. “Being a model has taught me that it doesn't matter how your clothes feels; what's important is how you look in it.”

 

Hoseok squirmed around. “Well, being a fully functioning human being, it matters to me how my clothes feels.”

 

Rolling his eyes, Hyungwon looked back at his phone to signal that he was done arguing. Hoseok retreated back into the dressing room to change out of the torturously skinny jeans. “Ah that's better.”

 

When they left the store, Hyungwon complained about all of Hoseok’s whining and groaning, saying that people were giving them dirty looks. Hoseok replied that he would not have whined so much if he hadn't been forced to try on all of those pants. 

 

“If you aren't gonna get something, I am.” Hyungwon dragged Hoseok into another store. The place was poorly lit and the employees all had piercings and dark makeup. 

 

“I wouldn't expect you to like this place.”

 

The younger shrugged, rummaging through the clearance rack. “I like wearing black. Less flashy that way.” He pulled out a black turtle neck and checked the price tag. “I'm getting this.” The sweater was rolled into a ball and handed to Hoseok.

 

“I bet you only wanted me to come with you so you could use me as a clothes rack,” Hoseok accused. 

 

Hyungwon gasped in mock surprise. “How did you know?” He draped another shirt over Hoseok’s arm. “If you're just gonna stand behind me like that, I'm gonna take advantage of it.”

 

“I have nothing else to do.”

 

“Try this on,” he said, pulling out a leather jacket. “Twenty bucks for a jacket that's normally eighty.”

 

Hoseok gestured to a small scratch. “It's ruined right here.”

 

“It's easily fixable. Now, try it on.” He took the clothes from Hoseok’s arms and handed over the jacket.

 

“It's not my style,” Hoseok said, tugging the sleeves of the jacket. 

 

Hyungwon played around with the collar and looked at the outfit from every angle. “I like it on you. Can you at least wear it when we’re together? I'll buy it.”

 

Hoseok felt his face heating up as Hyungwon stared him down. “I...sure.”

  
With that, they headed off to go watch the movie. Of course, Hyungwon made Hoseok put on the leather jacket. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning for a really not graphic fight. it just happens.
> 
> sorry this took so long, and sorry for a mediocre chapter, and a boring ending. ive been meaning to finish this for some time now. this is it folks.

“Hoseok, you have classes tomorrow. You need to go back to your dorm.”

 

The dancer groaned, nuzzling his face into Hyungwon’s shoulder. “I don’t wanna go.” He had a wonderful day with Hyungwon at the mall and the movies, and he was reluctant to end their time together. 

 

Hyungwon peeled away from Hoseok and frowned. “You need to go to school and I need to get back to my apartment before they lock the front door. Plus, I need to figure things out with my manager. He said there’s probably another clothing company that wants me.”

 

“Really?” Hoseok’s lips formed a circle. “That’s great! Are you finally going to get out of that magazine with the pervy photoshoots?”

 

“God, no! All my money comes from there. I have too many fans that love that magazine.”

 

Hoseok pouted. “They’re all thirsty for you.”

 

“You say that as if you aren’t any different,” Hyungwon mumbles before the words register in his brain. “Ah, sorry.”

 

Hoseok sighed. Did Hyungwon really think he was only interested in his looks? He had already explained that he loved the model on the inside and outside. It was not his fault that Hyungwon did not want to be in a serious relationship (and it wasn’t Hyungwon’s fault either. 

 

“I will be going now,” Hyungwon announced awkwardly. “We’ll see each other in the dance club tomorrow.”

 

They said their goodbyes and headed their separate ways. 

  
  
  


Hoseok sat quietly in his usual corner of the room, watching the door of the dance studio. They were going to start in five minutes, and Hyungwon still hadn’t arrived. He frowned and stretched some more. It was terribly lonely.

 

“Oh well,” he said aloud. Maybe Hyungwon had gotten the job for that clothing label. Maybe he was discussing modelling opportunities with his manager. Maybe he had been in photo shoots all day, and he was too tired to do anything when he got home. Maybe he was sick. Maybe—.

 

“Okay, stretching is over,” called the high voice of the dance instructor. “Let’s get out on the floor.”

 

Hoseok walked feebly to a spot in the back. He couldn't help but worry about where Hyungwon was. The model surely would have sent him a message if he knew he would miss the lesson that day. It was beginning to worry him.  _ Should I try sending him a message to see if he replies?  _ Hoseok thought, only half paying attention to the dance instructor.  _ Or would that make me come off as too clingy and obsessed? _

 

“Shin Hoseok, you paying attention?”

 

He scratched the back of his neck. “Yeah.”

 

“Well then why don’t you demonstrate that combination for the class?” the teacher taunted. 

 

Everyone was looking at him and he could feel his heart rate accelerating. He only vaguely knew the motions that the teacher had demonstrated. He was a few seconds away from embarrassing himself when the ringtone on his phone caught everyone’s attention. “Ah, sorry, I think I might have to go. It’s important,” he announced, running to pick up his phone.

 

It was Hyungwon.

 

“Hello?” he said in a low voice, not wanting to disturb his class even more.

 

“He called me today,” Hyungwon whispered quickly. 

 

Hoseok picked up his bag and scurried out of the room. “Who called you?”

 

“Jinhwan...you know, that guy. My ex.”

 

“Yes, you told me about him. Why did he call you?”

 

Hyungwon shushed him and was silent for a few seconds. “There's no time to explain. He said he was gonna get me, and he was outside the building when I was about to leave for dance.”

 

“Has he moved?” Hoseok asked, walking briskly towards Hyungwon's apartment. He was determined to give that Jinhwan a piece of his mind. 

 

“He's definitely inside by now. Don't know if he's past the landlady.”

 

“Stay calm. I'm going to hang up now—”

 

“No,” Hyungwon said, his voice raising slightly. “Please, don't hang up.”

 

“I can't run with the phone at my ear.” Hoseok felt bad, but it was the truth. He didn't know how much time he had before that guy knocked on Hyungwon’s door. 

 

“Just leave the call on. You don't have to talk. I'm fucking scared.”

 

Hoseok picked up the pace. “I’ll leave the call open, but I have to say bye for now. I'll tell you when I get to your place.” 

 

And then, he ran. 

 

Thankfully, Hyungwon’s apartment was not too far from the dance studio, and Hoseok was a fast runner. He could only hope that the man was still being questioned by the landlady. But if the landlady questioned someone for that long...how would Hoseok ever get to Hyungwon? Despite all the times he visited the model, he had never seen the landlady because he always came after the doors were locked. 

 

He burst through the door, plan in mind. 

 

“Good afternoon. What are—”

 

“Shin Hoseok, friend of Chae Hyungwon,” he said breathlessly, scrolling through his phone. “This is us,” he said, holding up a picture he had taken of the two of them. “Please let me in.” He ran past her without waiting for her reply. It only took a few seconds to fly up the stairs (he was surprised he didn't trip) and he ran down the completely empty hallway to Hyungwon’s apartment. 

 

“Hyungwon,” he said into the phone. “I'm outside your door.”

 

There was a shuffling from inside the apartment, then the clicking of locks before the door was opened. Hyungwon was standing there, eyes shaking and face pale. “Where did he go?”

 

“I didn't even see him,” Hoseok announced, sending a glance down both ends of the hall. “Maybe he didn't get in.”

 

“How did you get in?” he asked, pulling the dancer into the room so he could close the door. He clicked every lock again. 

 

“Said I was your friend and showed her a picture of us. She never actually said I could come, though.”

 

Hyungwon groaned. “God, Hoseok. You are crazy.” They sat in silence for a bit. “I'm really happy you’re here.” He held out his arms for a hug, and, of course, Hoseok accepted. “I was so damn scared. I still am, but now I'm safe.”

 

Hoseok could feel his face heating up, and he was glad Hyungwon wouldn't see his blush. “I'm glad you called me. Now, do you want to tell me exactly what happened.”

 

Hyungwon nodded, though he seemed reluctant. “Well, that new job my manager found… he’s modeling for it too. And he came to me in the dressing room and said this shit about how he missed me, but I said...I said I was over him. A stylist came in just then, so he left, and we didn't talk until he called me almost an hour ago. He said ‘I'm coming to your place, and if you—’” Hyungwon covered his face with his hands and let out a single sob. “He was going to hurt me if I didn't open up.”

 

Hoseok rubbed circles into Hyungwon’s back. He wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say. 

 

The model looked up and smiled a little, though it was somber. “You'll protect me, right?”

 

“Of course, I will.”

 

Hyungwon nodded and leaned into Hoseok’s touch. The smile had completely disappeared from his face, and he looked worried. “C–can I sleep at your place? If it's not too much of a burden.”

 

Hoseok tilted his head to see Hyungwon’s face. “It's not a burden at all. I'm here to protect you, aren't I?”

 

“Thanks, Hoseok,” Hyungwon said shyly. 

 

“I wouldn't want you staying here anyways. Let’s pack up some stuff so you're comfortable.” 

 

Hyungwon nodded and got off the bed. Once he had retrieved an empty backpack from under his bed, he got to folding up a set of clothes for the next day and rolled up his pajamas. Then, he slipped his feet into his sneakers, not bothering to untie them. “Let’s get going.”

 

They trudged down the stairs to the annoyance of the landlady who was sitting in the same chair as before. Hoseok considered apologizing for his frantic behavior, but Hyungwon had a hand on his back and pushed him along. “She might hate me,” he whispered when they exited the building. 

 

“She hates everyone,” Hyungwon said. “I used to smile at her, but she—”

 

All of a sudden, a tall figure stepped out from the alley near the apartment building. Hyungwon jumped and hugged his arms into his chest.  _ Is this Jiwon? _ Hoseok thought to himself. His question was answered when the man spoke up. 

 

“Hyungwonnie, where are you going?”

 

Hoseok stepped forward. Although Jiwon was tall, Hoseok knew that they were equal in strength. Fighting him might prove to be difficult, but he was going to try to settle things without throwing a punch. “It's none of your business. You decided that Hyungwon was none of your business a long time ago.”

 

“Who do you think  _ you  _ are?” the man sneered, puffing out his chest. (Hoseok would be lying to say he wasn't intimidated by the action.)

 

“Shin Hoseok. Nice to meet you.” There was no sincerity in his statement, of course. “I know all about you, Jiwon, and you better stay away from Hyungwon if you want to see the light of day again.”

 

Jiwon stepped forward but was stopped by Hoseok’s outstretched hands. “Are you trying to pick a fight?”

 

“Not at all.” He tried to keep his voice calm and steady, despite the rapid beating in his chest. “If you listen to me, you won't get hurt.”

 

“What the hell makes you think you can hurt me?”

 

“Don’t underestimate me. I will protect Hyungwon with my life.”

 

By now, there was smoke blowing from Jiwon’s ears. “He's mine.”

 

“You don't love him like I do,” Hoseok blurted out, looking nervously at Hyungwon.  _ Did I just say I love him? I don't have the right to say that _ .

 

In his distraction, Jiwon lashed out and grabbed Hyungwon’s sweatshirt. The model yelped and smashed a fist down on Jiwon’s wrist. “Fucking let go of me!” he screamed. 

 

Hoseok twisted Jiwon’s arm, forcing him to release his grip on Hyungwon. The horrid man whimpered as his arm was twisted further and his body hunched over. “You’ll be kissing the pavement in two seconds if you try anything else.”

 

Jiwon wasn't too bright, apparently, because he swung a leg out to kick Hoseok, who took it as an opportunity to knock out the back of his knee, sending Jiwon to the ground. He kept his lock on the man’s arm even as he lay face down on the ground. “You don't listen, huh?” He knelt down and let Jiwon’s arm rest on his shoulder. “Well, listen to this: you stay away from Hyungwon, because if I find you've been bothering him, you're in for something more than just a face to the ground. Understand?” When he was met with silence from the older model, he put more pressure on his arm. “ _ Understand? _ ”

 

“Y–y–yes! Yes! Please—”

 

Hoseok released his arm and stepped back a safe distance, pulling Hyungwon with him. Jiwon was starting to get up (which Hoseok figured was a good sign, because he didn't want the police to show up and question him for killing a man) and ran back down the way he came. 

 

“Hoseok…” Hyungwon said weakly, fingers brushing against the dancer’s hand. “I love you, too. Thank you. Thank you,” his voice was thick and shaky.

 

“It was nothing, Hyungwon.” He stepped in front of the younger and saw the tears rolling down his cheeks. “Don't cry.” He brought his hands up to Hyungwon’s face and wiped away the tears. 

 

“Did you hear me?” Hyungwon’s bony fingers touched Hoseok’s wrist. “I–I love you.”

 

Hoseok frowned. “You don't need to say that just because I—” He was cut off by Hyungwon’s soft lips pressed against his. He had only felt those lips once before, though they had been rushed and needy then. This kiss was soft and loving and  _ romantic _ . 

 

Hyungwon pulled away a little too soon for Hoseok’s liking and rested their foreheads together. “Heh…still looking for a boyfriend?” The younger smiled sheepishly. 

 

“Only if it's you.”

 

“Of course it's me. Why else would I ask?”

 

Hoseok laughed and pinched Hyungwon’s cheeks. “I don't know.” He looked at his new  _ boyfriend  _ before asking, “Do you want to get ice cream?” Hyungwon nodded excitedly, making the older chuckle. “Come on. We can eat it on the way to my dorm.”

 

They each got a cone, strawberry for Hoseok and chocolate for Hyungwon. People sent weird looks to their linked hands, but they didn't care. 

  
  
  


Hoseok led the way through the dorm building. “Now, my roommate’s boyfriend has been living in there with us. I'll introduce you to them, but they already know about you.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “And I apologize in advance for any rude behavior.”

 

They had arrived at the door, and Hoseok unlocked it and stepped inside. Hyunwoo was lying in bed, Minhyuk’s head on his shoulder. They weren't sleeping or watching anything—just resting in each other’s presence. Normally, Hoseok would have felt jealous, but now he had someone he could call his own. 

 

“Hey,” the dancer greeted, a hand on Hyungwon’s back. “Um, this is Hyungwon. He’s going to stay with us tonight.”

 

Minhyuk sat up and smiled brightly. “I'm Minhyuk! I stay here illegally, too!”

 

Hyungwon laughed a little at that. 

 

“Uh, I'm Hyunwoo,” the oldest in the room said. “This is actually my room.”

 

“It's nice to meet you guys. I'm...I’m Hoseok’s boyfriend.”

 

Minhyuk lit up. “I knew it would happen at some point. Was it the tight pants? I bet it was that.”

 

“Min—”

 

“I picked out those pants, you know. Hey, Hyunwoo, I definitely got these two together!”

 

Hoseok held out his hands. “Minhyuk, we literally just got together, not even an hour ago.” The happy boy’s face dropped and Hoseok felt genuinely sorry for saying that. “But, uh, the pants played a big role!” He nervously turned to Hyungwon, who was hiding his smile with his hand. 

 

“They did. Thank you for making him wear them.”

 

Minhyuk’s smile returned. “Any time.”

 

Hyunwoo sat up. “Uh, Hyungwon...are you going to be moving in?” 

 

The model shook his head. “Just need to get out of my place for a while.”

 

“Ah. Is it on campus?”

 

He shook his head again. “No. I'm not a student right now. I only come for the dance club.”

 

Hyunwoo nodded, seeming pleased with Hoseok’s boyfriend. “Well, you can stay whenever you want.”

 

Hyungwon muttered a shy “thank you” and was pulled away by Hoseok. 

 

“You wanna get dressed, babe?”

 

The younger’s face turned pink at the name. “Okay.” He took off his backpack and pulled out his pajamas.

 

“I'll bring you to the bathrooms.” Hoseok grabbed his own clothes and took Hyungwon’s hand to lead him to the dorm’s bathrooms. “I'm so happy,” he said as they were walking down the hallway.

 

“Why?”

 

“Because of you.”

 

“That's it?” There was a bit of tease in Hyungwon’s voice.

 

Hoseok thought for a moment. “Well, that you’re here, with me. And we’re going to sleep next to each other tonight. And you’re all mine. And I love you, and you feel the same.”

 

“You’re cheesy,” Hyungwon said, squirming his hand away.

 

“Yeah, you like it, though,” said the older, linking their hands together again.

 

Each of the four stalls in the bathroom were occupied, so Hoseok offered to wait outside Hyungwon’s door while he changed. 

 

“You know,” Hyungwon said, curling his fingers around Hoseok’s wrist, “you can come in with me.”

 

Hoseok smiled, slipping through the door. As they got dressed, he could feel Hyungwon’s eyes traveling down his body. “Like it?” he whispered, hoping none of the other guys suspected anything. 

 

Hyungwon nodded, and Hoseok took his chance to give him a kiss. The younger’s hands rested on Hoseok’s chest, then slid to caress his arms. Hoseok noticed that Hyungwon was still wearing an undershirt. He stopped the kiss to pull it off, but Hyungwon’s hands stopped him. Hoseok raised an eyebrow and Hyungwon pursed his lips. “It's not good,” he whispered. Hoseok shook his head and kissed Hyungwon’s cheek. The younger finally gave in and allowed his shirt to be taken off. 

 

Hyungwon wasn't very muscular, if that's what he meant, but he sure didn't have a bad body (in Hoseok’s opinion, at least). He peppered kisses over Hyungwon’s neck and chest, and the younger’s breathing quickened. Hoseok looked up for a second to see Hyungwon staring at him lovingly. The older smiled and continued his was down Hyungwon’s torso. 

 

Of course, Hoseok being the playful person he is, brushed his lips over Hyungwon’s side. The younger shuddered, obviously a bit ticklish there, so Hoseok did it again, this time wriggling his fingers on Hyungwon’s other side. The younger yelped and slapped Hoseok’s hand away.

 

“Hey, what's going on in there?” a voice called from somewhere in the bathroom. 

 

Both froze and looked at each other. “I'm getting dressed,” Hoseok called back.

 

“Sure doesn't sound like it,” the voice mumbled. 

 

Hyungwon covered his face in his hands and Hoseok squeezed his arm.  _ It's okay _ , he mouthed when the younger had looked up. He placed another kiss on his cheek before getting dressed. 

 

They slipped out of the bathroom as quickly as possible, Hoseok saying how cute Hyungwon was. The younger smiled sheepishly. 

 

Hoseok’s room wasn't completely dark when they got there, but it was clear that Minhyuk and Hyunwoo were going to sleep. “You wanna sleep now, or watch something.”

 

Hyungwon shrugged. “You have a class tomorrow morning, right?” Hoseok nodded, because he knew Hyungwon could tell if he was lying. “Let’s sleep, then.”

  
  
  


The next day, Hoseok anxiously waited for his classes to end. Hyungwon said that he was going back to his apartment for a while, and would meet Hoseok at a cafe when the older had finished everything he needed to do. It was the same cafe they had met up at before, when they were still “just friends.” He was so excited to be meeting up to go on their first real date that by the time his last class ended, he was bolting out the door and across the campus. 

 

When he arrived at the cafe, he was completely out of breath. It took him a second to find Hyungwon, seated at the same high table he was that first time. “You're three minutes late,” he said, matter of factly. 

 

Hoseok hoisted himself into the chair, still disappointed that his feet couldn't reach the floor. “I bet you've been here for the past ten minutes.”

 

“You know me so well,” Hyungwon laughed. 

 

They ordered coffees and snacks for the next few hours, Hoseok sure that the waiters were tired of them being there. They talked until a cashier came over to them and said they were closing the place for the night. 

 

“Do you wanna pass through the park on our way home?” Hyungwon asked, linking his fingers with Hoseok’s. 

 

The older smiled at the way Hyungwon said “home.” Although Hoseok still lived at the dorms, he spent his weekends with Hyungwon inside his little apartment. “Let's go,” he said. They walked hand in hand through the park, watching the sun set. 

 

“I wanna stay like this for as long as I can,” Hyungwon said, leaning into his boyfriend. 

 

Hoseok smiled. “Me too.”

  
  
  


Love. That was all Hoseok ever wanted. He wanted someone who actually cared for him and wanted to be with him for who he was inside, not his appearance. Two months ago, he would have thought it was impossible for him to ever find himself in a loving relationship. But two months ago, he didn't know Hyungwon. 

**Author's Note:**

> this was just a sad excuse for me to praise everything hyungwon does. i love him :( 
> 
> also im not quite sure if this is done. i may post a second part, so be on the lookout.


End file.
